LABORATORY SAFETY LABELING
Safety begins with recognition of hazards and - Everything must be labeled
is achieved through the application of: - Hazardous material must include all
necessary safety information
Common sense
- Diamond shaped, color coded NFPA
A safety focused attitude
(National Fire Protection Act) labels are
Good personal behavior/habits
required to identify the nature of
Good housekeeping
hazardous material.
Continual practice of good laboratory
-
technique
Remember: Always take time to be safe.
LABORATORY SAFETY AND REGULATIONS
Always take time to be
knowledgeable about laboratory
safety concerns and practice
proper safety procedures
In most cases, safety is a
combination of common sense,
good behavior, and housekeeping.
OSHA
Federal Law that mandates safe working
conditions for workers (even lab techs)
OSHA may inspect work places
for compliance with safety rules
OSHA compliance is the law, not
just a nice idea
Mandatory Laboratory Practices:
Bloodborne pathogens
Formaldehyde
Respiratory standards
PPEs
Other Regulations and Guidelines:
Clean Water Act
Toxic Substances Control Act
JACHO (Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Health Care
Organizations)
SAFETY AWARENESS
- Employer
Provide and supervise safety BIOLOGICAL SAFETY
methods, equipment and policies
- Employee - Standard Precautions (Universal
Understand and practice Precautions)
established safety procedures All Biological specimens must be
Notify supervisors of unsafe considered potentially INFECTIOUS
conditions - Always use required PPEs when
handling biohazardous material
Bottom Line… - Cap specimens that are being
“ Safety is everyone’s responsibility!” centrifuged
- Mouth pipetting is NEVER permitted
under any circumstances
- Spills must be cleaned using proper
technique
- OSHA mandates that labs provide
written bloodborne and airborne (TB)
safety policies
- Annual TB screening for hospital
employee’s is mandatory
CHEMICAL SAFETY
- Hazard Communication
The lab by law, must provide
within policies for the safe use
of hazardous chemicals (OSHA
regulation)
- Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
A list of all safety information
created by the manufacturer for
each laboratory reagent
(biological or chemical)
The lab is responsible to collect
and make available MSDS
information for all reagents and
chemicals
Employees must have ready
access to MSDS information
- Laboratory Standard
Lab must have written
Chemical Hygiene Plan that
provides specific work practices
for hazardous chemicals
- Storage and handling of Chemicals
FIRE SAFETYV
- Know the location of:
Fire alarm pull stations
Extinguishers
Fire blankets
- Know the telephone number to report
fires
- RACE
Rescue - Remove patients from
immediate harm
Alarm – Pull the fire alarm
Contain – Close doors and
windows
Extinguish – Extinguish fire
PERSONAL SAFETY
OSHA
A. Exposure Control are categorized into 3:
Category 1 – daily exposure to blood
and body fluids
Category 2 – regular exposure to blood
and body fluids
Category 3 – no exposure to blood and
body fluids
B. Employers must offer Hepatitis B
vaccine at no cost to all personnel in
Category 1 & 2
ACCIDENT DOCUMENTATION AND
INVESTIGATION
- All accidents must be immediately
reported to a supervisor
- Accident Investigation forms must be
completed by the employee and
employer
- OSHA regulations require accident
records to be kept 30 years
Documentation
- Write an SOP specific for your lab and
review it will all employees
- Document training of laboratory safety
and yearly reviews
- Enforce the rules so that they become
second nature
WHAT TO DO?
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